This disclosure relates to systems and methods for protecting an optical fiber within a downhole cable, seismic cable, or other cable, while reducing a loss of signal quality on the optical fiber.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as an admission of any kind.
Producing hydrocarbons from a wellbore drilled into a geological formation is a remarkably complex endeavor. In many cases, decisions involved in hydrocarbon exploration and production may be informed by measurements from downhole well-logging tools that are conveyed deep into the wellbore. The measurements may be used to infer properties and characteristics of the geological formation surrounding the wellbore. Thus, when a wellbore is investigated to determine the physical condition of a fluid within the wellbore, a gas within the wellbore, or the wellbore itself, it may be desirable to place a cable with associated measurement tools and/or sensors within the wellbore.
Such measurement tools and/or sensors may include one or more optical fibers, which may provide high-speed electromagnetic interference (EMI) immune telemetry to a data processing system coupled to the end of the cable. To reduce a chance of potential damage to the optical fibers, the one or more optical fibers may be housed within protective structures in the cable core. Such protection may result in a loss of signal quality from the optical fibers, however, since the cable core is relatively isolated from changes in the wellbore environment due to armor wire strength members which surround and/or protect the cable core.